With a race victory seemingly at hand, Cutters began celebrating its record-breaking fourth consecutive Little 500 title.

And 96 laps later, the Cutters celebrated again.

A frenzied and sometimes-confusing Men’s Little 500 race Saturday afternoon featured torrential rain, a 50-minute delay and uncharted weather decisions for race officials.

Amidst the wild and bizarre Saturday afternoon, though, the Cutters endured it all.

And with the win, the team added to its Little 500 legacy.

The Cutters have won 11 times in 26 years of the team’s existence and became the first team to win four Little 500 races in a row.

As rain descended on Bill Armstrong Stadium at the race’s halfway point — which would make the race official if it ended — the Cutters prepared for a shortened race.

The bike was handed over to junior sprinter Eric Young, who built a sizeable lead from the front pack as rain drenched the riders and turned the track into a sloppy mess.

Race officials threw the yellow flag at lap 101 and three laps later suspended the race.
Since it was past the halfway point, the Cutters originally assumed the race was over and they had won.

“I thought like I celebrated a little bit too much,” Young said about the mid-race ending.
But a few minutes later, PA announcer Chuck Crabb said the race was just temporarily suspended — now the Cutters faced another 96 laps before its rightful celebration.

The decision to extend the race was new for officials, because they had never faced a weather-based decision following the halfway point of the race.

In the end, with a patch of better weather on the way, the decision was made to attempt the full 200 laps.

Cutters coach Jim Kirkham said the postponement did not affect the riders’ psyche.

“Once we realized we hadn’t won, we regrouped and talked about what we were going to do to win,” Kirkham said. “We were really prepared for the second half of the race.”
In the second half, the Cutters competed against a handful of teams on the lead lap and set up its perfect ending.

When Young, arguably the fastest rider in the field, hopped on the bike at the final exchange with a few laps to go, the second finish repeated the first. Young threw his hands up in the air as he crossed the line.

This time, the team could celebrate as much as it wanted.

Afterward, Cutters junior Zach Lusk reflected on winning in front of several Cutters alumni.

“It feels good to join that elite group,” Lusk said. “But other than that, you can’t say enough about this team.”

The four riders — Young, Lusk, senior Clayton Feldman and sophomore Michael Schroeder — were the same four to win in 2009 and each contributed to the win this year.

Feldman, the team’s rider who put in the most laps, noted the team’s improvement even from a win last year.

“We’ve come a long way,” Feldman said. “Last year’s team definitely couldn’t have won this race. We fought really hard and we had to do a lot of work to get to where we are.”

And “where they are” —  for Young, at least — is at a special place in the race history.

“There’s never been a race like this with conditions like this,” Young said. “This was crazy. It will go down in history as one of the best Little Fives ever. It was great.”

The Shattuck Down Low seemed like a weird place to see the GZA last Friday. You would expect the Wu-Tang Clan’s Genius to play somewhere a little bit bigger than a hole-in-the-wall club in Berkeley, Calif.

The GZA isn’t exactly playing big-name venues these days though. A lot of his tour dates have been at small bars throughout the country. It’s not like he needs a huge stage anyway. There’s no Kanye-style stage production, no dancers, no backup singers, no band, not even a set list. The Genius walked onstage with a microphone and rapped over whatever Wu-Tang and GZA songs local DJ Kevvy Kev decided to spin. The whole thing felt sort of amateurish.

But the GZA isn’t exactly an amateur. He’s the fucking Genius, and a founding member of arguably one of the best hip-hop groups of all time. It’s hard to be nostalgic about some golden age of hip-hop since most of the audience was in diapers when Public Enemy released It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, but as the GZA stood on a barely-raised stage ceaselessly hitting brilliant verse after brilliant verse with no hooks and no repeated lines in a room full of about 200 people, something felt profoundly real.

Hip-hop has definitely evolved since it spawned from urban streets in the late ’70s. But in a rap world that has become centered around popping bottles in the club and unattainably glamorous lifestyles, the GZA trades the glitz for grit and refuses to let go of his roots.

Not that the show went off without any hitches-GZA’s frustration was pretty visible when Kev’s transitions didn’t match his flow. On one of the rockier transitions, his eyes rolled as he looked back and told Kev to stop fucking up and follow the cues over the mic. GZA’s a pro, but what can you expect from an unplanned set with an unfamiliar DJ?

Still, the spontaneity was all part of the magic. Not even he knew what he was going to rap next, and a smile flashed across his face when favorites like “Labels” and “Shadowboxin'” came on. Song after song became a fan sing-along, and his legendary flow was as poised and precise as ever when he and Kev were in sync.

GZA’s not much of a hype guy though, and the look on his face was less than excited as he rapped 17-year-old verses. It was hard to tell if he was sick of hearing a room full of people chant “Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nuthing ta fuck wit’.”

There’s a good chance he isn’t, considering the fact that he and the other remaining members of the Wu-Tang Clan have built a hip-hop dynasty to be proud of-one that takes pride in lyrical craftsmanship. The only time he stopped the music in his hour-long stream of continuous lyrical kung-fu was to restart a song because Kev’s transition missed the intro to “4th Chamber.” “These songs have skits, man. The people wanna hear ’em,” he said, immediately met with a roar of approval from the audience. The opening acts and the audience all had love and respect for that dynasty; some were completely geeked out. They weren’t there to see smoke and mirrors and flashing lights, just a guy with a mic and some beats.

It’s easy to bemoan the death of hip-hop when the form has primarily become the glorification of empty lifestyles through idiotic catchphrases, but with rappers like GZA still around, hip-hop lives. Even if it’s nestled in small clubs like the Down Low.

NOTE: This content is part of a press release issued via UWIREPR, and is not UWIRE editorial content.

Hun Wang of team LifeCode from Wayne State U. demonstrates his team’s product to director James Cameron his wife Suzy and Microsoft’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, Craig Mundie at the 2010 Imagine Cup competition held in the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on Monday.

Hun Wang of team LifeCode from Wayne State University demonstrates his team’s product to director James Cameron his wife Suzy and Microsoft’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, Craig Mundie at the 2010 Imagine Cup competition held in the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on Monday.

When he was young, Andrew Goldberg would write stories as a way to calm down and collect his thoughts during school, where he described himself as “the class clown.”

Now, Goldberg is a staff writer on the animated Fox sitcom, “Family Guy,” one of the most critically acclaimed and financially successful shows on network television.

On Wednesday, Goldberg spoke about his background as a writer, the success of “Family Guy” and the role of social satire in the media.

Growing up

After attending school at Columbia U. in the film program, Goldberg moved to California to attend U. California, Los Angeles.

“That was the first big chance that I took,” Goldberg said.

While at UCLA, Goldberg took his first sitcom writing class, which Goldberg credits as his watershed moment in deciding his future career.

“When I first went to grad school, I wasn’t quite sure exactly what I wanted to do,” Goldberg said. “And when I took that sitcom writing class, I thought this was so fun. I enjoyed the process of writing my first spec script.”

From that point, Goldberg started writing spec scripts, or his own versions of popular television shows, that he would send to agents in order to get his name out as a writer. Goldberg said his first spec script that he wrote for his class was an episode of “Malcolm in the Middle.”

Finding difficulty in securing a writing job in Hollywood out of college, Goldberg took a job at 20th Century Fox, a film and television production company that produces “Family Guy” and other shows. After a couple of years of working for the company, Goldberg was offered an executive position, but turned it down for one ultimate reason.

“I took a big chance and said, ‘No, what I’d rather do is be a writer,’” Goldberg said.

After being introduced to various writers around Los Angeles, Goldberg became aware that Seth Macfarlane, the creator of “Family Guy,” was in need of an assistant because the show was coming back on the air after it had been canceled in 2001. After working as Macfarlane’s assistant for a few years on the show, Goldberg was promoted to a staff writer in 2007, where he has written a number of episodes and contributed to countless others.

‘Family Guy’ and social satire

In terms of “Family Guy” and its impact on cultural satire, Goldberg said he thinks the issue doesn’t revolve around whether or not the show takes things “too far,” but how certain aspects of the show interfere with one’s own personal beliefs.

“People tune into ‘Family Guy’ expecting it be provocative and expecting it to be edgy,” Goldberg said.

In addition, Goldberg discussed the current state of network television and its overall impact in terms of satirizing American culture.

“A lot of network comedy has gotten funneled toward the middle, not challenging to watch,” Goldberg said. “I like it when we do an episode that is a little challenging, and maybe a little jarring.”

In addition, Goldberg mentioned other forms of satire in the media, such as “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report,” hosted by comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, respectively, who lampoon current events in the news. Goldberg said shows like these are popular among a large group of people not for what they convey, but how the portray the news in a humorous way.

“I think a lot of the people that watch ‘The Daily Show’ and ‘The Colbert Report’ probably would not watch news otherwise,” Goldberg said. “They’re not watching it instead of CNN. They’re watching it instead of watching ‘Seinfeld.’”

Having an opportunity to “kiss up to my boss,” Goldberg said he had nothing but praise for Macfarlane, the show’s creator and one of the highest paid television writers in history.

“He’s the most talented person I’ve ever met,” Goldberg said. “It’s terrific that he’s found this niche that’s perfect for creating an animated TV show.”

An old friend

Ross Bryan, director of residential communities and a criminal justice professor, said he has known Goldberg for years, having spent many summers as Goldberg’s camp counselor at Wild Wood summer camp in Maine when Goldberg was only 12 years old.

“It’s kind of neat to see that he’s successful now,” Bryan said of Goldberg’s success on the show.

Bryan said the overall goal of bringing people like Goldberg to campus is essentially to cultivate conversation within the student body.

“We’re always trying to think about programming where students are at the University,” Bryan said. “It’s all entertainment. The trick is you have to be with it on different levels.”

Bryan said he has a conflicted view on “Family Guy;” although he wouldn’t want his children to watch the program, it is something he said his students should watch and think about.

“It does a pretty good job of presenting sides of different issues,” Bryan said. “It’s very interesting. Not a lot of shows do that.

“No matter how you feel, you’ll gain an opinion. That’s a very good way to start conversation.”

The last time Ohio State U. took the field at Ohio Stadium, a Rose Bowl berth was on the line.

Much less was at stake Saturday when the Gray team defeated the Scarlet team 17-14 in the annual Spring Game.

Taurian Washington accounted for both of the Gray team’s touchdowns, as quarterback Kenny Guiton connected with the receiver on a 45-yard game-winning strike with 55 seconds remaining.

“I just had to go to my moneymaker,” Guiton said about hooking up with Washington. “He got me first half, so I thought if I tried him a few times in the second half, he was going to come through again and he did.”

The Scarlet team had one final chance at tying the game, but Devin Barclay’s 56-yard field goal attempt fell short.

Both offenses showed sparks early and late, with little in between.

After the Scarlet team failed to move the chains on its first drive, Guiton found Washington for a 28-yard score on the Gray team’s opening possession. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor answered right back with a swift, four-play drive that resulted in a 12-yard touchdown to Dane Sanzenbacher to even the score at 7-7.

That score held until the fourth quarter, when freshman Drew Basil kicked a 47-yard field goal to put the Gray team ahead.

Joe Bauserman, in relief of Pryor, marched the Scarlet team down the field with a 70-yard drive. Running back Bo DeLande capped off the series with a 4-yard touchdown, propelling the Scarlet team to a 14-10 advantage.

Pryor only played the first quarter as he continues his recovery from February knee surgery. After a sluggish start, he finished 8-for-12 for 108 yards and a touchdown.

“You have to play the hand that’s dealt to you and he knew that he wasn’t going to play much,” coach Jim Tressel said. “He knew that he couldn’t go live on the run part of it. He focused on what he could do, which was work on his footwork, coverage recognition, decision-making and so forth. I thought he did a pretty fair job.”

While the OSU spotlight typically shines on Pryor, Guiton stole it away for the afternoon.

The Houston, Texas, native completed 11 of 21 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns while making his case for the No. 2 quarterback job. His main competition, Bauserman, finished just 6-for-15 for 75 yards and tossed a pair of interceptions.

[Guiton] “looked awesome,” lineman Jack Mewhort said. “He’s a great quarterback. I watched his high school film before he even came here and knew he would be amazing on the field someday. I don’t think anyone gave him enough credit and he proved himself out there today.”

Guiton, who didn’t see the field as a freshman, shrugged off the battle to back up Pryor.

“There are no hard feelings between me and Joe,” he said. “We know it’s just competition and nothing personal.”

On the Gray team’s final possession, Guiton took a helmet to the knee. After being attended to, he walked off the field and said after the game that the pain he initially felt had subsided.

Tressel said he is pleased with the depth that the healthy competition at quarterback provides.

“Under the gun, we tried to get those two to throw it as many times as they could,” Tressel said. “If you go back and look at each of those performances, [you’ll] see that they each did some good things.

“We really felt going into the last week of spring practice that we weren’t sure as if our depth had progressed as much as we’d like it to. … You need to have a deep team to have a chance at the championship.”

Last season, more than 95,000 fans flocked to Ohio Stadium on a sweltering April afternoon to watch the scrimmage. But with gray skies and intermittent drizzle, only 65,223 people showed up to watch the team’s final tune-up until the summer.

OSU opens the 2010 regular season with a Thursday night matchup against Marshall, the team’s first midweek night game since 1997.

Penn State U. student Kevin Ignatuk, 21, is in critical condition after being hit by a police cruiser early Sunday morning, authorities say. Though his roommate said Ignatuk didn’t see the car coming, police said he “darted” into the road.

Ignatuk’s roommate Ben Cuddy (junior-kinesiology) said he was with Ignatuk when he stepped into the street in front of an oncoming police SUV outside their apartment, according to a State College Police Department press release.

Ignatuk, of Thornton, Pa., was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center and then flown to the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, police said. Hospital officials said he is in critical condition.

Ignatuk appeared to have not seen the oncoming vehicle before it hit him, Cuddy said. Police say Ignatuk “darted from the sidewalk” when a police SUV hit him at about 1:42 a.m. on the 400 block of East Beaver Avenue.

The State College Police Department sergeant driving the SUV was on routine patrol with his headlights illuminated, police said.

Cuddy said Ignatuk had been drinking Saturday, though he did not know exactly how much alcohol his roommate had consumed.

A portion of Beaver Avenue was closed for about three hours following the incident, police said.

The Pennsylvania State Police is assisting in the investigation because a State College Police Department vehicle was involved in the incident.

Down the windy hills of King of Prussia Road and past the prevailing aromas of Peace-a-Pizza lies one of the most popular Irish pubs in Delaware County. Kildare’s, the hot spot for a majority of college students, has been praised and applauded for being an authentic hangout amongst young adults.

Recently, bars such as Kildare’s have been buckling down on who can or cannot enter their doors.

With so many college students acquiring fake IDs, it is imperative that the bouncers and owners at these bars crack down and deny entrance to any underage kids trying to get in.

“The bar has always had a strict policy on not allowing underage people in,” Tom Hayes, security at Kildare’s, said in an e-mail. “With it being a restaurant during the day, legally, no one under the age is allowed in after 10 p.m. without their parent or guardian.”

Although the bar scene at Kildare’s is more geared for those over the age of 25, there are still college students who like to come in, therefore resulting in the bouncers scanning IDs.

“They draw the college age crowd with open bar happy hours,” Hayes said. “And that’s when the managers make sure everyone’s ID is scanned.”

There are many severe consequences that can occur by letting underage kids into a bar.

Besides being fined thousands of dollars, there is the risk of getting the establishment closed down completely.

Because the bouncers are aware of the harsh punishments they could possibly receive, they take their jobs very seriously and make sure they are not letting any minors past their doors.

“If someone is found to be in the bar underage, they are immediately escorted out by myself or one of my staff. If anyone is found at the door to have a fake ID, it is confiscated and submitted to the police, which is the law set by the liquor control board,” Hayes said. “Most places around town do the same. Brownies, for example, takes the IDs and displays them on the wall in the lobby. That serves as a deterrent for underage kids and the people who might loan their IDs to friends.”

Bars are trying to impress upon underage students that if you are under 21, there is no reason you should even walk through their door.

The risk of getting caught is higher than ever due to ID scanners and blacklights and the consequences are becoming more severe.

As more people turn 21 and friends are left behind there is more pressure to borrow and buy fake IDs as well as sneak in under the radar.

Bars are making it clear that while this may have worked before, they are now shutting their doors on anyone not of legal age.

Final projects, essays, research papers, presentations  and exams are looming on students’ to-do lists as the spring 2010 semester draws to a close.

As due dates approach, students fill their agendas with plans to study ahead, a mere ritual for many who end up using their free time in other ways until crunch time.

“My routine is pretty much the same until the day before any final,” said Al, a U. Miami student who agreed to speak with The Miami Hurricane on the condition of anonymity. He is a frequent user of adderall, a medicine commonly used to treat Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD). “My routine then would be to start studying during the evening and then throughout the night and into the day of the final and go into the final having pulled an all nighter.”

For students at UM and other college campuses, stress mounts for even the model student as crunch time approaches all too quickly.

When faced with the pressures of final examinations, the need for a supplement often arises. Often, this need can lead to illegal exchanges of the prescription drug.

Thirty-four percent of surveyed students reported the illegal use of adderall stimulants during times of high academic stress in a survey by the Journal of American College Health from 2005 to 2006.

While it may increase comprehension and alertness, ADHD medication and other stimulants are no replacement for sleep, according to Dr. Rhody Eisenstein, medical co-director of Saint Luke’s Medicine and Research Center, based in St. Louis.

“A lot of students are smart enough that they might get a good grade,” Eisenstein said. “But if they haven’t had enough sleep, they are not at their peak.”

According to Eisenstein, stress, no matter what the cause, will impact one’s ability to sleep, thus impacting one’s overall brain function.  Students between 18 and 22 years old should receive eight hours of sleep every night.

Study regimens that precede a full night’s sleep are the best strategy, but for many students, such a strategy is simply unrealistic or undesirable.

Therefore, they turn to the use of stimulants, which ultimately result in poor sleep habits and deprivation but provide hours of concentration.

“I think adderall is great because it allows you to really procrastinate and also allows your college lifestyle to continue without being really disturbed,” said Sam, a UM student who also agreed to speak to The Miami Hurricane on the condition of anonymity.

Caffeine and adderall, along with comparable stimulants, will temporarily improve concentration, but will not make one perform better than their natural abilities, according to Eisenstein.

Along with a significant increase in one’s ability to concentrate comes some health risks for un-prescribed users, and withdrawal symptoms for adderall abusers.

“It’s definitely not healthy,” Al said. “It kills your appetite, puts you in a bad mood; it dehydrates you. There is definitely a downside, but does it help? Yes. It’s worth all those downsides.”

Al is far from alone in his use of adderall for academic purposes. A Facebook page devoted to the drug includes adderall-related posts from both happy and dissatisfied customers.

“It only took me one hour to write eight pages,” said Kimberly Thomas from Alabama in a comment on the Facebook page. “I’m never doing school work without adderall ever again.”

Elena Schmidt may be contacted at eschmidt@themiamihurricane.com.

Study Tips

-Make a schedule to manage your time

-Schedule in study breaks

-Schedule in sleep

-Exercise

-Prioritize your exams